Indiana Community Recycling Grant Program

Eligible Projects

All projects should accomplish one of the following:

• Start or expand a recycling, source reduction, reuse, or composting program.
• Offer a new service, collect a new material, and/or serve a new area through the establishment of a new permanent service.
• Improve efficiency and sustainability over current program practices through increased volumes of materials collected, and better processing of materials, cost savings, and resource conservation.

Eligible Funding Cost

Funding is available for expenses related to the startup or expansion of recycling, reuse, composting, Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection or disposal, and source reduction programs.

Eligible expenses include:

• Purchase of recycling equipment such as balers and compactors.
• Organics management equipment including chippers and leaf collectors/vacuums.
• Recycling collection vehicles, such as a curbside recycling truck.
• Educational materials to inform new and existing participants.
• Funding for HHW projects will be used toward proper collection and disposal methods of HHW, establishment of reuse and product exchanges to reduce the quantity of HHW being disposed of, and education programs to reduce the quantity of HHW generated by informing the public of less hazardous and/or nontoxic substitutes for typical household hazardous products.

Ineligible Costs

Funding is not available for projects that involve municipal solid waste disposal or stray from the original mission of waste reduction or diversion from final disposal.

These expenses will not be funded through the Community Recycling Grant Program:

• Permanent structures or site improvements may be approved for use as cash match on a case-by-case basis.
• Vehicles that can be used for more than a specific recycling use, such as a box truck, passenger truck, etc.
• Leasing of equipment or property.
• Ongoing program costs such as salaries, recycling contracts, and vehicle maintenance.
• Personnel expenses, except where contracted as professional fees. Professional fees will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. An example of an approved professional fee is HHW disposal.
• Computer hardware and software apart from software that is specifically 100% source reduction and recycling focused.
• Administrative expenses, including accounting and grant administration.
• Contractor labor, set-up, and preparation charges.
• Food, beverages, and party supplies.
• Cash payments such as gift cards.
• Grant application preparation and submittal expenses.

These expenses will not be funded through the Community Recycling Grant Program, with the exception of public education and promotion activities that include information on source reduction and recycling:

• Illegal dumping cleanups.
• Litter and tire cleanup projects.
• Open burning projects.

Match Requirements

All grant applications must document a 25 percent cash match per project item.

• Matching contributions must be cash expenditures and must be made during the term of the grant agreement.
• A cash match may be supplied from other entities except for state resources

Application Documents

A completed final grant application must be received by the application due date posted, which includes the following:

• State Webform 56847 (link available during open grant period)
• Proof of available funding for total project cost
• Quotes for service and equipment. Each budget item requires a quote.
• Any supporting documentation (letters of support, partnership agreements, location maps, etc.)
• Solid waste management districts only must also include a copy of the most recent financial report

Evaluation Criteria

The review committee will score applications based on the responses to each section listed in the CRGP guidelines and the maximum points per criterion. Before starting the application review the CRGP guidelines in full and reference the scoring matrix.

Program Timeline

The following are CRGP timeline highlights. For the full timeline, visit the CRGP guidelines.

• Applications Accepted: July 1, 2025 – August 8, 2025
• Grant Award Notifications Sent – all applicants will be notified regarding the status of funding: By December 31, 2025
• Grant Agreements drafted, reviewed, executed: The grant is executed once all parties sign the grant agreement. This step must be completed before any approved project expenses can be purchased: March – May 2026
• AWARDED FUNDS CANNOT BE SPENT UNTIL THE GRANT IS EXECUTED. PLAN NOT START YOUR PROJECT UNTIL THIS TIME: May 2026

Contact Information

Informal determinations of eligibility for grant funding are available at any time by phone or e-mail from the Grant Manager. Informal eligibility determinations will be based on the potential applicant’s description of the proposed project and are not binding.

For answers to any questions regarding the submittal requirements and/or application deadlines, or issues with submitting please contact the Grant Manager at: CRGP@idem.IN.gov or (800) 451-6027.